Textured surfaces to enhance nano-lubrication

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention may provide textured surfaces to be lubricated, the texturing to enhance the effectiveness of the intended nano-lubrication. The texturing may make asperities and depressions in the surface to be lubricated. This texturing may be executed, for example, by chemical etching, laser etching, or other techniques. This texturing may create locations in the lubricated surface to hold or anchor the intended nano-lubricants, to facilitate the creation of a tribo-film on the surface when the lubricated surface is used under pressure, and resulting in delivery of multiple chemistries from the nano-lubricant.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation application and claims thebenefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. §120 of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/540,256, filed on Jul. 2, 2012, now U.S. Pat.No. 8,486,870, issued on Jul. 16, 2013. U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/540,256 is incorporated by reference into this specification.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally tonano-lubrication, that is lubrication using nano-materials. Morespecifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to preparationof surfaces to be lubricated to enhance the effectiveness of intendednano-lubrication.

2. Description of Related Art

Nano-materials have been developed and used for lubrication and otherpurposes. Nano-materials have also been used with other materials forlubrication and other purposes. However, this knowledge is still in itsinfancy and a need exists to enhance the effectiveness ofnano-lubrication.

SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention may provide textured surfaces to belubricated, the texturing to enhance the effectiveness of the intendednano-lubrication. The word “texture” refers to a physical and/orchemical patterning on the surfaces to be lubricated, also referred toherein as the application surface or the substrate. The texturing maymake asperities and depressions in the surface to be lubricated with orwithout chemical functionalization. This texturing may be executed, forexample, by chemical etching, laser etching, mechanical machining orother techniques. This texturing may create locations in the lubricatedsurface to hold or anchor the intended nano-lubricants, to facilitatethe creation of a lubricating tribo-film on the application surface whenthe surface is used under pressure, temperature and other stressfactors, and resulting in delivery of multiple chemistries from thenano-lubricant.

In non-limiting embodiment, a textured surface and a method of making atextured surface according to the present disclosure comprises a surfacewith textured features and methods of making the textured features. Thetextured features are adapted to enhance the effectiveness of anano-particle lubricant. In a non-limiting embodiment the features areformed by one or more processes selected from the group consisting ofetching, chemical etching, chemical functionalization, laser etching,laser blasting, sand blasting, physical etching, mechanical etching, topdown processes, bottom up processes, chemical texturing, physicaltexturing, mechanical texturing, stamping, laser texturing, vapordeposition, plasma deposition, electroplating, self assembly, directedassembly, subtractive manufacturing, additive manufacturing, hybridmanufacturing, and other deposition. The textured features may compriseat least one feature selected from the group consisting of pores, waves,striations, channels, protrusions, asperities, depressions, grooves,holes, low points, high points, cracks, low areas, high areas, exposedsandwiched layers, and chemically functional material.

A nano-particle lubricant is in contact with the textured features ofthe textured surface in a position to lubricate the surface. Innon-limiting embodiments, the nano-particle lubricant comprises at leastone member selected from the group consisting of: (i) solidnano-particles, (ii) a layered nano-particle macro-composition, (iii) abonded plurality of layered nano-particle macro-compositions, (iv)nanoparticles having an open-ended architecture and comprising anorganic medium intercalated in the nanoparticle, (v) a nanoparticleinner nucleus, an intermediate layer around the nucleus, and an outerlayer intercalated with the nucleus or encapsulating the nucleus and theintermediate layer, and (vi) a plurality of nanoparticle inner nuclei,on each nucleus, an outer layer intercalated with the nucleus orencapsulating the nucleus, the layer with the nucleus forming a layerednanoparticle, and a plurality of bonds, each bond bonded to at least twoof the layered nanoparticles, such that each layered nanoparticle isbonded to at least one other of the layered nanoparticles by a bond.

In a non-limiting embodiment according to the present disclosure, atribo-film is in contact with the textured features of the texturedsurface in a position to lubricate the surface. In another non-limitingembodiment according to the present disclosure, the tribo-film comprisesat least one of a phosphorus-containing compound, a phosphide, a boroncontaining compound, and a boride. In still another non-limitingembodiment, the tribo-film comprises at least a component of thenano-particle lubricant. According to non-limiting aspects of thepresent disclosure, the size of one or more of the textured features isa multiple of the size of a unit of the nano-particle lubricant, and thesurface comprises a substrate with a layer of material deposited overthe substrate, where the textured features expose parts of thesubstrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention are described herein, by way ofexample, in conjunction with the following figures.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a textured surface and alayer of nano-lubricants located on the surface.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a nano-lubricant.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating two textured surfacesapproaching frictional contact, each textured surface having a layer ofnano-lubricants located on the surface.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating two textured surfacesapproaching frictional contact and showing plastic deformation ofnano-lubricants located on the surfaces.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating two textured surfaces infrictional contact with a tribofilm formed from deformed nano-lubricantslocated between the surfaces.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment with materials deposited on a substrate, andthen etched exposing portions of the substrate.

EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention may provide textured surfaces to belubricated, the texturing to enhance the effectiveness of the intendednano-lubrication. The texturing may make asperities and depressions inthe surface to be lubricated that can mechanically anchor ormechanically interlock the nano-lubricant to the surface. Texturing mayalso include chemical functionalization of all or a portion of theapplication surface, and the chemical functionalization may be directedto various patterns on the application surface. The term “chemicalfunctionalization” as used herein refers to the attachment or bonding ofvarious chemical groups to the application surface, wherein thefunctionalized surface can then form chemical bonds with suitablychemically functionalized nano-lubricants.

In non-limiting embodiments, this texturing may be executed, forexample, by one or more of etching, chemical etching, chemicalfunctionalization, laser etching, laser blasting, sand blasting,physical etching, mechanical etching, top down processes, bottom upprocesses, chemical texturing, physical texturing, mechanical texturing,stamping, laser texturing, vapor deposition, plasma deposition,electroplating, self assembly, directed assembly, subtractivemanufacturing, additive manufacturing, hybrid manufacturing, and otherdeposition. This texturing may create locations in the lubricatedsurface to hold or anchor the intended nano-lubricants, which, innon-limiting embodiments, may be introduced to the application surfaceas a suspension, dispersion, or emulsion in a medium such as, forexample, an oil. As used herein, the terms “anchor” or “anchoring” meanthat the nano-lubricant is held to the application surface throughvarious means, including, but not limited to mechanical interlocking;chemical bonding, such as, for example, covalent bonding, ionic bonding,London dispersion forces, electrostatic forces, hydrogen-bonding; and byother biases such as, for example, a magnetic field, until thenano-lubricant is released from the surface as a result of use underpressure to form a tribo-film adjacent to the surface to be lubricated.The anchored nano-lubricant is used to facilitate the creation of atribo-film on the surface, as a result of releasing the anchoredlubricant when the textured surface is used under stress such aspressure and temperature, and results in delivery of multiplechemistries from the nano-lubricant.

In various embodiments, the nano-lubricant may be a layered or an openarchitecture nanoparticle, as described in U.S. patent application Ser.No. 12/160,758 (U.S. Publication No. 2008/0312111 A1), for “NanoparticleCompositions and Methods of Making and Using The Same,” by Malshe etal., which is incorporated by this reference into this specification inits entirety. The nanoparticles may be solid lubricant nanoparticles.The nanoparticles may be made from starting materials or solid lubricantstarting materials. Examples of solid lubricants may include, but arenot limited to, layered materials, suitably chalcogenides, moresuitably, molybdenum disulphide, tungsten disulphide, or a combinationthereof. Another suitable layered material is graphite or intercalatedgraphite. Other solid lubricants that may be used alone or incombination with the layered materials are polytetrafluoroethylene,boron nitride (suitably hexagonal boron nitride), soft metals (such assilver, lead, nickel, copper), cerium fluoride, zinc oxide, silversulfate, cadmium iodide, lead iodide, barium fluoride, tin sulfide, zincphosphate, zinc sulfide, mica, boron nitrate, borax, fluorinated carbon,zinc phosphide, boron, or a combination thereof. Fluorinated carbons maybe, without limitation, carbon-based materials such as graphite whichhas been fluorinated to improve its aesthetic characteristics. Suchmaterials may include, for example, a material such as CF_(x) wherein xranges from about 0.05 to about 1.2.

Other nano-lubricants that may be used include, for example, thenanoparticle of macro-compositions described in U.S. Application patentSer. No. 13/540,235, filed Jul. 2, 2012, for “NanoparticleMacro-Compositions” by Malshe, which is incorporated by this referenceinto this specification in its entirety. Non-limiting embodiments of thepresent invention may include a macro-composition with a specialstructure. The term “macro-composition”, as used herein, is a term todescribe embodiments of the present invention. The structure includes alayered macro-composition made of a nanoparticle as an inner nucleus, anintermediate layer around the nucleus, and an outer layer intercalatedwith the nucleus or encapsulating the nucleus and the intermediatelayer. A plurality of the layered macro-compositions is bonded togetherby bonds, so that each layered macro-composition is bonded to at leastone other such layered macro-composition. Embodiments include amacro-composition made of three 3-layered macro-compositions joined in achain by two bonds. These macro-composition assemblies may take theshape of layered macro-compositions bonded together in chains, orforming other shapes, such as rings. The layered macro-composition maybe about 20 nanometers in size, for example. The bonds of the complexmacro-composition may have an average length of no more than about 100nanometers, for example. Embodiments of a macro-composition, may beavailable from NanoMech, Inc., in Springdale, Ark.

In various embodiments, the surface to be lubricated may be texturedusing nanoscale laser etching, for example, in a sub-micron scale. Thislaser etching is described in a paper by Malshe, et al., entitled“Femtosecond laser-induced periodic structure writing on diamondcrystals and microclusters” in Applied Physics Letters, 6 Dec. 1999,Vol. 75, Number 23, pp. 3716-3718, which is incorporated in its entiretyinto this specification by this reference.

Layered Surfaces

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, materials may bedeposited in layers on the surface to be lubricated, by for examplevapor deposition, plasma deposition, electroplating, or otherwise. Thissurface with deposition layers may then be etched by, for example,laser-etching, chemical etching, or otherwise. This etching may providea surface texture to expose chemically receptive materials indepressions or other features between asperities in the surface to bondor with nano-particles intended as nano-lubricants, to form tribo-filmsin the depressions. For example, the textured surface may react withphosphorus-containing compounds or phosphides in layered nano-lubricantparticles, which phosphorus-containing compounds or phosphides may bereleased under pressure during use of the lubricated surface, to formglossy tribo-films in the depressions or other features.

FIG. 6( a) shows an embodiment of a surface to be lubricated withsubstrate 10. FIG. 6( b) shows a layer 62 of material deposited on thesubstrate 10. FIG. 6( c) shows the embodiment after etching of thedeposited layer 62, which exposes portions of the substrate 10, whileleaving portions of the deposited layer 62. This creates texturedfeatures including asperities 14, and low areas 63 between asperities14. The bottom of the low areas 63 consist of substrate 10, and the topsof the asperities consist of deposited material 62. This may allow, forexample, the bottom of the asperity 14, consisting of substrate 10, toreact with and bond to the nano-lubricant in a manner different from thetop of the asperities 14, consisting of deposited material 62.

Texture, Residence Time, and Anchoring

In various embodiments, either the nano-lubricant, or the lubricatedsurface, or both the lubricant and the lubricated surface, may betextured in one or more ways to enhance the effectiveness of thelubrication. The nano-lubricants may be closed architecture and/or openarchitecture lubricants.

The texturing may be, for example, physical, chemical, mechanical, bylaser, or otherwise, or a combination of these methods. This texturingmay facilitate the lubricant being anchored onto the textured surface.The anchoring may comprise at least one or more of a mechanicalanchoring, a chemical bond anchoring, or other bias such as magneticfield anchoring.

In various embodiments, texturing of the surface to be lubricated canprovide an open architecture for the surface to be lubricated. As anexample, chemical etching of the surface is a form of chemicaltexturization. Open architecture is a term that is sometimes used torefer to the structure of a material that tends to promote intercalationof other materials, or the bonding, attachment, localization, anchoring,or other attraction of other materials to the open architectured item onthe surface and/or inside the core shell.

The effect of the texturing is to enhance the residence time of thelubricant at the lubricated mated surfaces, and to enhance theefficiency and effectiveness of the lubricant particles. The periodicityor period of the residence time when the lubricant is localized at thelubricated surface may be is defined as short range, medium range, orlong range.

A Delivery System

Texturing mated lubricated surfaces can be viewed as a type of deliverysystem, where in the components of the layered nanoparticle lubricantare delivered to the surface of the mated lubricated surfaces. Thisdelivery may occur when a multi-layered nano-particle lubricant isdeformed and breaks down under use at the textured lubricated surfacedelivering, for example, its intermediate layer of phosphorus-containingcompounds to the surface.

Size and Parameters of Textured Features

The size of the textured features at the mated lubricated surface, forexample, the size of the depressions between neighboring asperities, maybe measured as N times the size of the lubricant unit (for example, amulti-layered nano-composition, molecule, or otherwise). For example, ifit were intended that a multi-layered nanoparticle composition, with aparticle size of about 20 nanometers, would be used as the lubricant,then texturing of the lubricated surfaces may be designed to be about 2times the size of this nano-lubricant, that is, 40 nanometers across adepression between neighboring asperities. The resulting density of thetexturing may be the referred to as the size of the repeating texturedfeatures, or for example, the distance to repeating asperities.

Texturing of the mated lubricated surfaces may have several basicparameters. These may include (1) the size of the textured features (forexample, the distance of depressions between neighboring asperities),(2) the primary and secondary order of the texturing (for example, theheight of the asperities or the depth of the depressions or theperiodicity of the asperities), (3) the density (the number of repeatingphysical characteristics of the texturing in a given area or distance),(4) a combination of physical and chemical texturing (chemical texturingmay include the deposition of functional or molecular groups that wouldattach nano-lubricants to the lubricated surfaces), and (5) thedirection of motion of the mated lubricated parts with respect to theorientation of texture. In a non-limiting embodiment, texturing thesurface to form the features to enhance the effectiveness of anano-particle lubricant comprises chemical texturing. In still anothernon-limiting embodiment, chemical texturing comprises chemicallyfunctionalizing at least a portion of the substrate.

Texturing of the nano-lubricant particles may include variousfundamentals and parameters including (1) a multi-component chemistry ofthe layered nano-lubricant particles (see, for example, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/160,758 for “Nanoparticle Compositions andMethods of Making and Using the Same” by Malshe for a description ofsome possible multi-component chemistries) and the placement of thenano-lubricant particles on a lubricated surface, (2) physical orchemical openness of the texture in the layered nano-particles (chemicalopenness here refers to the tendency of the lubricant to chemicallyattach to the lubricated surface), (3) the textured lubricant particlebond or linkage to dispersion media and application media (for example,multi-layered nano-particle lubricants may be intercalated with longerchain hydrocarbon oil molecules to form macro-compositions ormacromolecules for lubricants, as described in patent application Ser.No. 13/540,235 for “Nano-particle Macro-Compositions” by Malshe), and(4) the texturing of the nanoparticle lubricant to give the nanoparticlechemical and/or physical texture complimentary to the mated lubricatedsurface. For example, functional chemical groups attached to thenanoparticle lubricants may attach the lubricant particles to thelubricated textured surfaces through covalent bonding, ionic bonding,London dispersion forces, electrostatic forces, hydrogen-bonding andother known forms of chemical bond formation.

Types of Textured Features

Physical texturing of the nanoparticle lubricants, and/or the matedlubricated surfaces may provide various textured features, including,for example, pores, waviness, striations, channels, protrusions,asperities, depressions, grooves, holes, low points, high points,cracks, low areas, high areas, exposed sandwiched layers, and otherfeatures. The physical texturing of the nano-lubricant particles and/orlubricated surfaces may be executed by processes including chemicaletching, laser etching, laser blasting, sand blasting, top-downprocesses, physical etching, mechanical etching, and otherwise.

Chemical texturing of the nanoparticle lubricants and the lubricatedmated surfaces may include features such as, for example,multi-component chemistries (in the nano-particle lubricants) incombination with the preceding physical texturing features or processes.Processes for chemical texturing of the lubricant and lubricatedsurfaces may include fractionalization (e.g. the attachment ofchemically active elements or chemical groups), using bottom up chemicalprocesses such as solutions or vapor deposition.

The processes and features of physical texturing and chemical texturingof the nanoparticle lubricants and the textured surfaces may beintegrated for a specific application and a specific design criteria,for a designed custom lubrication application.

DETAILED DISCUSSION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a textured surface and alayer of nano-lubricants located on the surface. By way of example,referring to FIG. 1, a substrate 10 comprises a textured surface 12. Thetextured surface 12 comprises asperities 14. The asperities 14 of thetextured surface 12 may be formed using a texturing process as describedherein. Alternatively, the asperities 14 of the textured surface 12 mayform as a result of the general production or processing of thesubstrate 10. A lubricant layer 20 is located on the textured surface 12of the substrate 10. The lubricant layer 20 comprises nano-lubricants30. The nano-lubricant particles 30 are shown for convenience in FIG. 1and other figures herein as round or spherical; however, note thatactually the nano-lubricant particles 30 may be irregular shaped, orovaloid, and in any case have an open architecture facilitatingintercalation and other types of attachment and bonding.

The nano-lubricants 30 may, for example, comprise layered nanoparticlemacro-compositions as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/160,758 (U.S. Publication No. 2008/0312111 A1) for “NanoparticleCompositions and Methods of Making and Using The Same,” by Malshe et al.The nano-lubricants 30 may, for example, comprise nanoparticlemacro-compositions as described in U.S. Application patent Ser. No.13/540,235, filed Jul. 2, 2012, for “Nanoparticle Macro-Compositions” byMalshe.

FIG. 2

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a solid nano-lubricant. Forexample, referring to FIG. 2, the nano-lubricants 30 may comprise alayered macro-composition comprising an inner nucleus 32, anintermediate layer 36 encapsulating the inner nucleus 32, and an outerlayer 38 encapsulating the inner nucleus 32 and the intermediate layer36. The intermediate layer 36 and the outer layer 36 may independentlycomprise at least one organic material. The intermediate layer 36 andthe outer layer 38 may comprise the same or a different organicmaterial. The inner nucleus 32 may be intercalated with an organicmaterial comprising the intermediate layer 36 and/or the outer layer 38.

The inner nucleus 32 may comprise at least one solid nanoparticlematerial selected from the group consisting of chalcogenides, molybdenumdisulphide, tungsten disulphide, graphite, boron nitride,polytetrafluoroethylene, hexagonal boron nitride, soft metals, silver,lead, nickel, copper, cerium fluoride, zinc oxide, silver sulfate,cadmium iodide, lead iodide, barium fluoride, tin sulfide, zincphosphate, zinc sulfide, mica, boron oxide, borax, fluorinated carbon,zinc phosphide, boron, and combinations thereof.

The intermediate layer 36 and/or the outer layer 38 may independentlycomprise at least one organic material selected from the groupconsisting of lecithins, phospholipids, phosphides, soy lecithins,detergents, glycerides, distilled monoglycerides, monoglycerides,diglycerides, thiol phosphate and related complexes, acetic acid estersof monoglycerides, organic acid esters of monoglycerides, sorbitanesters of fatty acids, propylene glycol esters of fatty acids,polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, compounds containing phosphorous,compounds containing sulfur, compounds containing nitrogen, oil, grease,alcohol, composite oil, canola oil, vegetable oils, soybean oil, cornoil, ethyl and methyl esters of rapeseed oil, hydrocarbon oils, alkanessuch as n-hexadecane, and combinations thereof.

Referring to FIG. 1, the lubricant layer 20 located on the texturedsurface 12 of the substrate 10 may comprise, consist essentially of, orconsist of the nano-lubricants 30. For example, the lubricant layer 20may comprise the nano-lubricants 30 added as lubrication enhancers to anamount of a base lubricant such as, for example, grease, oil, gear oil,lithium complex grease, paste and protective surface coatings.

FIG. 3

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating two textured surfacesapproaching frictional contact, each textured surface having a layer ofnano-lubricants located on the surface. FIG. 3 shows two substrates 10,10′ each comprising textured surfaces comprising asperities 14, 14′.Lubricant layers 20, 20′ are located on the textured surfaces of thesubstrates 10, 10′, and the lubricant layers 20, 20′ each comprisenano-lubricants 30. The substrates 10, 10′ are shown as approachingfrictional contact between the respective textured surfaces. Thenano-lubricants 30 localize into the spaces between the asperities 14,14′ on the respective textured surfaces.

FIG. 4

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating two textured surfacesapproaching frictional contact and showing plastic deformation ofnano-lubricants located on the surfaces. As the distance decreasesbetween the respective surfaces of the substrates 10, 10′, themechanical stress (pressure) on the nano-lubricants 30 increases. Thisplastically deforms the nano-lubricants 30, as shown in FIG. 4. Theplastic deformation of the nano-lubricants 30 due to applied stressbetween the two surfaces in frictional contact may disrupt the layeredstructure of the nano-lubricants (closed as well as open architecture),thereby breaking up the layered nano-lubricant particles and releasingorganic materials comprising the intermediate layer 36 and/or the outerlayer 38.

Delivery and the Tribo-Film: FIG. 5

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating two textured surfaces infrictional contact with a tribo-film formed from deformednano-lubricants located between the surfaces. The organic material(s)is(are) released in situ on the lubricated surfaces of the substrates10, 10′ and in the spaces between the asperities 14, 14′. This providestargeted and site-specific delivery of the organic material(s), whichmay coalesce into a tribofilm 50, as shown in FIG. 5. The tribofilm 50provides enhanced nano-lubrication between the respective surfaces ofthe substrates 10, 10′ in frictional contact. In various embodiments,wherein the nano-lubricants 30 comprise different organic materials, theresulting tribofilm 50 may comprise multiple chemistries that provideenhanced lubricity. For example, the tribofilm 50 may comprise a mixtureof phospholipids, phosphides, borates, amides and/or otherphosphorus-containing and other compounds and the material comprisingthe inner nucleus 32, such as, for example, graphite, boron nitride,chalcogenides, molybdenum disulphide, tungsten disulphide, zirconiumoxide or other chalcogenides. In a non-limiting embodiment, thetribo-film formed from deformed nano-lubricants includes at least one ofa phosphorus-containing compound, a phosphide, a boron-containingcompound, and a boride. In a non-limiting embodiment, the tribo-filmformed from deformed nano-lubricants includes at least a component ofthe nano-particle lubricant.

OTHER MATTERS

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited in itsapplication to the details of construction and the arrangement ofcomponents set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawingsherein. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of beingpracticed or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to beunderstood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for thepurpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Any numerical range recited herein includes all values from the lowervalue to the upper value. For example, if a concentration range isstated as 1% to 50%, it is intended that values such as 2% to 40%, 10%to 30%, or 1% to 3%, etc., are expressly enumerated in thisspecification. These are only examples of what is specifically intended,and all possible combinations of numerical values between and includingthe lowest value and the highest value enumerated are to be consideredto be expressly stated in this application.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A lubricated surface comprising: a surfacewith textured features, wherein the textured features are adapted toenhance the effectiveness of a nano-particle lubricant, and anano-particle lubricant in contact with the textured features of thetextured surface in a position to lubricate the surface, wherein thenano-particle lubricant comprises a suspension, dispersion, or emulsionof nano-particles in a base material.
 2. The lubricated surface of claim1, wherein the nano-particles have an average particle dimension of lessthan or equal to about 100 nm.
 3. The lubricated surface of claim 1,wherein the nano-particles comprise solid nano-particles.
 4. Thelubricated surface of claim 3, wherein the solid nano-particles compriseat least one material selected from the group consisting of molybdenumdisulphide, tungsten disulphide, graphite, intercalated graphite,polytetrafluoroethylene, boron nitride, hexagonal boron nitride, softmetals, silver, lead, nickel, copper, cerium fluoride, zinc oxide,silver sulfate, cadmium iodide, lead iodide, barium fluoride, tinsulfide, zinc phosphate, zinc sulfide, mica, boron nitrate, borax,fluorinated carbon, zinc phosphide, boron, and combinations of anythereof.
 5. The lubricated surface of claim 1, wherein thenano-particles comprise layered nano-particles.
 6. The lubricatedsurface of claim 1, wherein the nano-particles comprise at least onetype of layered nano-particles selected from the group consisting ofmolybdenum disulfide nano-particles, tungsten disulfide nano-particles,graphite nano-particles, boron nitride nano-particles, and combinationsof any thereof.
 7. The lubricated surface of claim 1, wherein thenano-particles comprise at least one layered material comprising achalcogenide.
 8. The lubricated surface of claim 1, whereinnano-particles comprise molybdenum disulfide nano-particles.
 9. Thelubricated surface of claim 1, wherein the nano-particles comprisenano-particles having an open architecture.
 10. The lubricated surfaceof claim 1, wherein the nano-particles comprise an organic mediumintercalated in the nano-particles.
 11. The lubricated surface of claim10, wherein the organic medium comprises at least one material selectedfrom the group consisting of oil mediums, grease mediums, alcoholmediums, composite oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, cornoil, ethyl and methyl esters of rapeseed oil, distilled monoglycerides,monoglycerides, diglycerides, acetic acid esters of monoglycerides,organic acid esters of monoglycerides, sorbitan, sorbitan esters offatty acids, propylene glycol esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol estersof fatty acids, hydrocarbon oils, n-hexadecane, phospholipids, andcombinations of any thereof.
 12. The lubricated surface of claim 10,wherein the organic medium comprises an oil medium selected from thegroup consisting of composite oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, soybeanoil, corn oil, hydrocarbon oil, and combinations of any thereof.
 13. Thelubricated surface of claim 10, wherein the organic medium comprises avegetable oil.
 14. The lubricated surface of claim 10, wherein theorganic medium comprises a phospholipid.
 15. The lubricated surface ofclaim 1, wherein the nano-particles comprise nano-particles having anopen architecture and an organic medium intercalated in thenano-particles.
 16. The lubricated surface of claim 1, wherein thenano-particles are intercalated and encapsulated with an organic medium.17. The lubricated surface of claim 1, wherein the nano-particlescomprise a layered nano-particle macro-composition.
 18. The lubricatedsurface of claim 1, wherein the nano-particles comprise a bondedplurality of layered nano-particle macro-compositions.
 19. Thelubricated surface of claim 1, wherein the nano-particles comprise anano-particle inner nucleus, an intermediate layer around the nucleus,and an outer layer intercalated with the nucleus or encapsulating thenucleus and the intermediate layer.
 20. The lubricated surface of claim19, wherein the nanoparticle inner nucleus comprises at least one ofmolybdenum disulfide, tungsten disulfide, graphite, or boron nitride;and wherein the intermediate layer and the outer layer independentlycomprise at least one of a lecithin, phospholipid, phosphide, detergent,glyceride, monoglyceride, diglyceride, thiol phosphate, ester ofmonoglyceride, ester of fatty acid, compound containing phosphorous,compound containing sulfur, compound containing nitrogen, oil, grease,alcohol, composite oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, cornoil, ester of rapeseed oil, hydrocarbon oil, alkane, or combinations ofany thereof.
 21. The lubricated surface of claim 1, wherein thenano-particles comprise a plurality of nanoparticle inner nuclei and anouter layer intercalated with each nucleus or encapsulating eachnucleus, the layer with the nucleus forming a layered nanoparticle, anda plurality of bonds, each bond bonded to at least two of the layerednanoparticles, such that each layered nanoparticle is bonded to at leastone other of the layered nanoparticles by a bond.
 22. The lubricatedsurface of claim 1, wherein the textured features comprise at least onefeature selected from the group consisting of pores, waves, striations,channels, protrusions, asperities, depressions, grooves, holes, lowpoints, high points, cracks, low areas, high areas, exposed sandwichedlayers, and chemically functional material.
 23. The lubricated surfaceof claim 1, wherein the textured features comprise at least one featureformed by one or more processes selected from the group consisting ofetching, chemical etching, chemical functionalization, laser etching,laser blasting, sand blasting, physical etching, mechanical etching, topdown processes, bottom up processes, chemical texturing, physicaltexturing, mechanical texturing, stamping, laser texturing, vapordeposition, plasma deposition, electroplating, self assembly, directedassembly, subtractive manufacturing, additive manufacturing, hybridmanufacturing, and other deposition.
 24. The lubricated surface of claim1, further comprising a tribo-film in contact with the textured featuresof the textured surface in a position to lubricate the surface.
 25. Thelubricated surface of claim 24, wherein the tribo-film comprises atleast one of a phosphorus-containing compound and a boron-containingcompound.
 26. The lubricated surface of claim 24, wherein the tribo-filmcomprises at least one of a phosphide and a boride.
 27. The lubricatedsurface of claim 24, wherein the tribo-film comprises at least acomponent of the nano-particle lubricant.
 28. The lubricated surface ofclaim 1, wherein the size of one or more of the textured features is amultiple of the size of a nano-particle in contact with the texturedsurface.
 29. The lubricated surface of claim 1, wherein the surfacecomprises a substrate with a layer of material deposited over at least aportion of the substrate, and wherein the textured features expose atleast a portion of the substrate underneath the deposited layer.
 30. Thelubricated surface of claim 1, wherein the base material comprises atleast one material selected from the group consisting of oil, grease,plastic, gel, wax, silicone, hydrocarbon oil, vegetable oil, corn oil,peanut oil, canola oil, soybean oil, mineral oil, paraffin oil,synthetic oil, petroleum gel, petroleum grease, hydrocarbon gel,hydrocarbon grease, lithium based grease, fluoroether based grease,ethylenebistearamide, and combinations of any thereof.
 31. Thelubricated surface of claim 1, wherein the base material comprises atleast one material selected from the group consisting of an oil, agrease, a plastic, a gel, a wax, a silicone, and combinations of anythereof.
 32. The lubricated surface of claim 1, wherein the basematerial comprises an oil or a grease.
 33. The lubricated surface ofclaim 1, wherein the base material comprises at least one materialselected from the group consisting of mineral oil, paraffin oil,synthetic oil, petroleum grease, hydrocarbon grease, lithium basedgrease, and combinations of any thereof.
 34. The lubricated surface ofclaim 1, wherein the nano-particle lubricant further comprises anemulsifier.
 35. The lubricated surface of claim 34, wherein theemulsifier comprises at least one material selected from the groupconsisting of lecithins, phospholipids, soy lecithins, detergents,distilled monoglycerides, monoglycerides, diglycerides, acetic acidesters of monoglycerides, organic acid esters of monoglycerides,sorbitan esters of fatty acids, propylene glycol esters of fatty acids,polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, compounds containing phosphorous,compounds containing sulfur, compounds containing nitrogen, andcombinations of any thereof.
 36. The lubricated surface of claim 34,wherein the emulsifier comprises a compound containing phosphorous. 37.The lubricated surface of claim 34, wherein the emulsifier comprises aphospholipid.
 38. The lubricated surface of claim 34, wherein theemulsifier comprises a lecithin.
 39. The lubricated surface of claim 1,wherein the nano-particle lubricant comprises a suspension, dispersion,or emulsion of molybdenum disulfide nano-particles in a base materialcomprising an oil or a grease, wherein the molybdenum disulfidenano-particles are intercalated with an oil medium selected from thegroup consisting of composite oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, soybeanoil, corn oil, hydrocarbon oil, and combinations of any thereof.
 40. Thelubricated surface of claim 39, wherein the molybdenum disulfidenanoparticles are intercalated with a vegetable oil.
 41. The lubricatedsurface of claim 39, further comprising an emulsifier comprising aphospholipid.
 42. The lubricated surface of claim 41, wherein theemulsifier comprises a lecithin.
 43. A method for lubricating a surfacecomprising: forming textured features in the surface to enhance theeffectiveness of a nano-particle lubricant; and placing a nano-particlelubricant in contact with the textured features of the textured surfacein a position to lubricate the surface, wherein the nano-particlelubricant comprises a suspension, dispersion, or emulsion ofnano-particles in a base material.
 44. The method of claim 43, whereinforming the textured features to enhance the effectiveness of anano-particle lubricant comprises chemical texturing.
 45. The method ofclaim 44, wherein chemical texturing comprises chemicallyfunctionalizing at least a portion of the lubricated surface.
 46. Themethod of claim 44, wherein chemical texturing comprises chemicallyanchoring at least a portion of the nano-particle lubricant to thesurface.
 47. The method of claim 43, wherein the nano-particles have anaverage particle dimension of less than or equal to about 100 nm. 48.The method of claim 43, wherein the nano-particles comprise solidnano-particles.
 49. The method of claim 48, wherein the solidnano-particles comprise at least one material selected from the groupconsisting of molybdenum disulphide, tungsten disulphide, graphite,intercalated graphite, polytetrafluoroethylene, boron nitride, hexagonalboron nitride, soft metals, silver, lead, nickel, copper, ceriumfluoride, zinc oxide, silver sulfate, cadmium iodide, lead iodide,barium fluoride, tin sulfide, zinc phosphate, zinc sulfide, mica, boronnitrate, borax, fluorinated carbon, zinc phosphide, boron, andcombinations of any thereof.
 50. The method of claim 43, wherein thenano-particles comprise layered nano-particles.
 51. The method of claim43, wherein the nano-particles comprise at least one type of layerednano-particles selected from the group consisting of molybdenumdisulfide nano-particles, tungsten disulfide nano-particles, graphitenano-particles, boron nitride nano-particles, and combinations of anythereof.
 52. The method of claim 43, wherein the nano-particles compriseat least one layered material comprising a chalcogenide.
 53. The methodof claim 43, wherein nano-particles comprise molybdenum disulfidenano-particles.
 54. The method of claim 43, wherein the nano-particlescomprise nano-particles having an open architecture.
 55. The method ofclaim 43, wherein the nano-particles comprise an organic mediumintercalated in the nano-particles.
 56. The method of claim 55, whereinthe organic medium comprises at least one material selected from thegroup consisting of oil mediums, grease mediums, alcohol mediums,composite oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil, ethyland methyl esters of rapeseed oil, distilled monoglycerides,monoglycerides, diglycerides, acetic acid esters of monoglycerides,organic acid esters of monoglycerides, sorbitan, sorbitan esters offatty acids, propylene glycol esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol estersof fatty acids, hydrocarbon oils, n-hexadecane, phospholipids, andcombinations of any thereof.
 57. The method of claim 55, wherein theorganic medium comprises an oil medium selected from the groupconsisting of composite oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil,corn oil, hydrocarbon oil, and combinations of any thereof.
 58. Themethod of claim 55, wherein the organic medium comprises a vegetableoil.
 59. The method of claim 55, wherein the organic medium comprises aphospholipid.
 60. The method of claim 43, wherein the nano-particlescomprise nano-particles having an open architecture and an organicmedium intercalated in the nano-particles.
 61. The method of claim 43,wherein the nano-particles are intercalated and encapsulated with anorganic medium.
 62. The method of claim 43, wherein the nano-particlescomprise a layered nano-particle macro-composition.
 63. The method ofclaim 43, wherein the nano-particles comprise a bonded plurality oflayered nano-particle macro-compositions.
 64. The method of claim 43,wherein the nano-particles comprise a nano-particle inner nucleus, anintermediate layer around the nucleus, and an outer layer intercalatedwith the nucleus or encapsulating the nucleus and the intermediatelayer.
 65. The method of claim 64, wherein the nanoparticle innernucleus comprises at least one of molybdenum disulfide, tungstendisulfide, graphite, or boron nitride; and wherein the intermediatelayer and the outer layer independently comprise at least one of alecithin, phospholipid, phosphide, detergent, glyceride, monoglyceride,diglyceride, thiol phosphate, ester of monoglyceride, ester of fattyacid, compound containing phosphorous, compound containing sulfur,compound containing nitrogen, oil, grease, alcohol, composite oil,canola oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, corn oil, ester of rapeseed oil,hydrocarbon oil, alkane, or combinations of any thereof.
 66. The methodof claim 43, wherein the nano-particles comprise a plurality ofnanoparticle inner nuclei and an outer layer intercalated with eachnucleus or encapsulating each nucleus, the layer with the nucleusforming a layered nanoparticle, and a plurality of bonds, each bondbonded to at least two of the layered nanoparticles, such that eachlayered nanoparticle is bonded to at least one other of the layerednanoparticles by a bond.
 67. The method of claim 43, wherein thetextured features comprise at least one feature selected from the groupconsisting of pores, waves, striations, channels, protrusions,asperities, depressions, grooves, holes, low points, high points,cracks, low areas, high areas, exposed sandwiched layers, and chemicallyfunctional material.
 68. The method of claim 43, wherein the texturedfeatures are formed by one or more processes selected from the groupconsisting of etching, chemical etching, chemical functionalization,laser etching, laser blasting, sand blasting, physical etching,mechanical etching, top down processes, bottom up processes, chemicaltexturing, physical texturing, mechanical texturing, stamping, lasertexturing, vapor deposition, plasma deposition, electroplating, selfassembly, directed assembly, subtractive manufacturing, additivemanufacturing, hybrid manufacturing, and other deposition.
 69. Themethod of claim 43, further comprising forming a tribo-film in contactwith the textured features of the textured surface in a position tolubricate the surface.
 70. The method of claim 69, wherein thetribo-film comprises at least one of a phosphorus-containing compoundand a boron-containing compound.
 71. The method of claim 69, wherein thetribo-film comprises at least one of a phosphide and a boride.
 72. Themethod of claim 69, wherein the tribo-film comprises at least acomponent of the nano-particle lubricant.
 73. The method of claim 43,wherein the size of one or more of the textured features is a multipleof the size of a nano-particle in contact with the textured surface. 74.The method of claim 43, further comprising: depositing a layer ofmaterial over a substrate surface; and exposing at least a portion ofthe substrate by forming the textured features in the deposited layer ofmaterial.
 75. The method of claim 43, wherein the base materialcomprises at least one material selected from the group consisting ofoil, grease, plastic, gel, wax, silicone, hydrocarbon oil, vegetableoil, corn oil, peanut oil, canola oil, soybean oil, mineral oil,paraffin oil, synthetic oil, petroleum gel, petroleum grease,hydrocarbon gel, hydrocarbon grease, lithium based grease, fluoroetherbased grease, ethylenebistearamide, and combinations of any thereof. 76.The method of claim 43, wherein the base material comprises at least onematerial selected from the group consisting of an oil, a grease, aplastic, a gel, a wax, a silicone, and combinations of any thereof. 77.The method of claim 43, wherein the base material comprises an oil or agrease.
 78. The method of claim 43, wherein the base material comprisesat least one material selected from the group consisting of mineral oil,paraffin oil, synthetic oil, petroleum grease, hydrocarbon grease,lithium based grease, and combinations of any thereof.
 79. The method ofclaim 43, wherein the nano-particle lubricant further comprises anemulsifier.
 80. The method of claim 79, wherein the emulsifier comprisesat least one material selected from the group consisting of lecithins,phospholipids, soy lecithins, detergents, distilled monoglycerides,monoglycerides, diglycerides, acetic acid esters of monoglycerides,organic acid esters of monoglycerides, sorbitan esters of fatty acids,propylene glycol esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol esters of fattyacids, compounds containing phosphorous, compounds containing sulfur,compounds containing nitrogen, and combinations of any thereof.
 81. Themethod of claim 79, wherein the emulsifier comprises a compoundcontaining phosphorous.
 82. The method of claim 79, wherein theemulsifier comprises a phospholipid.
 83. The method of claim 79, whereinthe emulsifier comprises a lecithin.
 84. The method of claim 43, whereinthe nano-particle lubricant comprises a suspension, dispersion, oremulsion of molybdenum disulfide nano-particles in a base materialcomprising an oil or a grease, wherein the molybdenum disulfidenano-particles are intercalated with an oil medium selected from thegroup consisting of composite oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, soybeanoil, corn oil, hydrocarbon oil, and combinations of any thereof.
 85. Themethod of claim 84, wherein the molybdenum disulfide nanoparticles areintercalated with a vegetable oil.
 86. The method of claim 84, whereinthe nano-particle lubricant further comprises an emulsifier comprising aphospholipid.
 87. The method of claim 86, wherein the emulsifiercomprises a lecithin.
 88. The lubricated surface of claim 1, wherein thenano-particles comprise inorganic nano-particles.
 89. The method ofclaim 43, wherein the nano-particles comprise inorganic nano-particles.90. The lubricated surface of claim 1, wherein the nano-particlescomprise nano-particles selected from the group consisting of molybdenumdisulfide nano-particles, tungsten disulfide nano-particles, graphitenano-particles, boron nitride nano-particles, silver nano-particles,lead nano-particles, nickel nano-particles, copper nano-particles,cerium fluoride nano-particles, zinc oxide nano-particles, silversulfate nano-particles, cadmium iodide nano-particles, lead iodidenano-particles, barium fluoride nano-particles, tin sulfidenano-particles, zinc phosphate nano-particles, zinc sulfidenano-particles, mica nano-particles, boron nitrate nano-particles, boraxnano-particles, fluorinated carbon nano-particles, zinc phosphidenano-particles, boron nano-particles, and combinations thereof.
 91. Themethod of claim 43, wherein the nano-particles comprise nano-particlesselected from the group consisting of molybdenum disulfidenano-particles, tungsten disulfide nano-particles, graphitenano-particles, boron nitride nano-particles, silver nano-particles,lead nano-particles, nickel nano-particles, copper nano-particles,cerium fluoride nano-particles, zinc oxide nano-particles, silversulfate nano-particles, cadmium iodide nano-particles, lead iodidenano-particles, barium fluoride nano-particles, tin sulfidenano-particles, zinc phosphate nano-particles, zinc sulfidenano-particles, mica nano-particles, boron nitrate nano-particles, boraxnano-particles, fluorinated carbon nano-particles, zinc phosphidenano-particles, boron nano-particles, and combinations thereof.
 92. Thelubricated surface of claim 1, wherein the nano-particles comprisenano-particles selected from the group consisting of graphenenanoparticles, diamond nanoparticles, diamond-like nanoparticles, carbonnanotubes, carbon fullerenes, and combinations thereof.
 93. The methodof claim 43, wherein the nano-particles comprise nano-particles selectedfrom the group consisting of graphene nanoparticles, diamondnanoparticles, diamond-like nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, carbonfullerenes, and combinations thereof.